Wind musical instrument



Nov. 24, 1942. H. G. RuNYoN WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed June 13, 1941Patented Nov. 24, 1942 WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Harry G. Runyon, Elkhart,Ind., assigner to C. G.

Conn, Ltd., Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application June 13,1941, Serial No. 397,858

8 Claims.

This invention relates to wind musical instruments and more particularlyto valve constructions for cornets, trumpets and the like.

In valves for instruments of this type, a cylinder type valve is usuallyemployed, having a plurality of passages therethrough to control thedirection of air ow according to the position of the valve, and it isessential for proper operation that the valve be prevented fromrotation. It is accordingly one of the objects of the present inventionto provide valve construction for wind musical instruments in which thevalve is held against rotation and in which binding interfering withfree operation of the valve is prevented.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wind musicalinstrument having a valve construction which can be assembled as a unitand inserted in the valve casing Without requiring additionaladjustments.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wind musicalinstrument having a valve spring operated in one direction, in whichsinging or vibration of the spring is prevented.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will beapparent from the following description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa cornet valve assembly embodying theinvention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged partial section with parts in elevation of oneof the valve units of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial elevation showing the valve removed from thecasing;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, with the bridge pieces removed;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a section on the line 1-'I of Figure 2; and

Figure 8 is a partial section on the line 8--8 of Figure 7.

The usual cornet valve assembly as shown in Figure 1 comprises threevalve casings I0, interconnected by supporting members I2 to hold themin assembled position, and communicating through pipes or conduits I4. Aplurality of pipe or conduit connections IS are provided for connectionto other parts of the instrument. Each of the valve casings contains areciprocable valve body having a reduced stem I8 projecting from theupper end of the valve casing and teri minating in nger pads 20.

Each of the valves, according to the present invention, comprises asleeve 22 fitting closely in the lower portion of the valve casings I0.The valve body comprises a hollow cylindrical body portion 24 fittingclosely in the sleeve 22 and slidable vertically therein. Each valvebody is ic-rined with passages 26 extending therethrough and to registerwith the conduits I4 and Iii to establish communication therebetween asdesired.

Rigidly connected to the upper end of each valve body 24 is a reducedintermediate stem 28, terminating at its upper end in a reduced keyportion Sil, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5. As shown, the key portionis substantially cylindrical with diametrically opposite sidesflattened, but any other non-circular shape would be equallysatisfactory. The key portion is adapted to receive a bridge piece 32,formed by a flat plate having a central opening to fit over the keyportion and with oppositely extending ears. Guide pins 34 are rigidlyconnected to the ears of the bridge piece 32 and extend into openings inthe top part of the valve body 24. In this manner the guide pins arerigidly supported at both ends for movement with the valve body. Thebridge piece 32 is held in place by a collar 3% carried by the lower endof the valve stem I8 and pressing vagainst the upper surface of thebridge piece when the stem I8 is threaded into the upper end of the stem28.

In order to prevent rotation of the valve, a guide plate 38 looselysurrounds the stem portion. 28 and is formed in its periphery atdiametrically opposite points with grooves 4I) to receive the guide pins34. The grooves 4i! may be breached in the periphery of the guide plateand accurately formed to exact size so as to engage the guide pins 34relatively snugly without creating any perceptible amount of frictionalresistance to movement of the valve. The guide plate 3S is itselfprevented from turning relative to the valve casing by a lug 42extending downwardly from the periphery of the guide plate at one sidethereof, and engaging in a notch 44 formed in the upper edge of thesleeve 22. The guide plate is of such a size as to rest 0n the top edgeof the sleeve 22 with the lug 42 fitting .into the groove 44 so that theguide plate is prevented. from both rotation and longitudinal movement.However, when it is desired to remove the valve assembly, the guideplate will slide upwardly through the upper end of the valve casing.

The valve is normally urged to its uppermost position by a coil spring4B surrounding the stem 2B and pressing against bridge piece 32 andguide plate 38. In order to prevent binding of the spring at the pointWhere the stem passes through the guide plate, the guide plate may beformed with an upwardly tapered collar 48 around which the spring fits.In order to prevent vibration or singing of the spring 4S when the valveis operated, it is formed of such -a size as to engage the stem 28 witha light friction so as to dampen any vibrations of the spring. Thefriction is preferably made so light as not to interfere with freeoperation of the valve and the spring, but will effectively prevent anyvibration of the spring which might become annoying.

The valve is held in place in the casing by a cap 5i) screwed thereon onthe upper end of the casing, a similar cap 52 formed with an openingtherethrough to prevent trapping of air being screwed thereon on thelower end of the casing.

In assembling the valve, the valve and its stem 28 may be formed eitherintegrally or in two pieces, in any desired ina-nner. The collar 5,3 maythen be slipped over the valve stem and the spring 45 may be placed overthe collar. Thereafter, the bridge piece 32 with the guide pins 34rigidly connected thereto may be tted into place and the valve stem I8may be threaded into the upper end of the stem 28 to hold the bridgepiece in place. The entire assembly may then be inserted in the valvecasing and turned until the lug 42 drops into the notch 44. When the cap50 is screwed in place and the ringer piece 29 is inserted, the assemblyis complete. It will be noted that the guide pins 34 lie ondiametrically opposite sides of the stem so that the gui forces arebalanced about the axis of the v .lve and there is no tendency forbinding to occur. After the valve is assembled, the sming 28 not onlyurges the valve body towards its uppermost position, but also holds theguide plate 38 properly seated on the upper end of the sleeve 22.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described indetail, it will be understood that this is illustrative only and is notintended as a denition of the scope of the invention, reference beinghad for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a wind musical instrument, a valve casing, a valve reciprocabletherein, a guide pin rigidly carried by said valve eccentric to the axisof the casing. guide means non-rotatably supported in the valve casingand slidably engaging said pin to prevent the valve from rotating in thecasing, and resilient means acting between the valve and a part iixedrelative to the casing to urge the valve in one direction.

2. In a wind musical instrument, a valve casing, a valve reciprocabletherein, a pair of guide pins rigidly carried by said valve atdiametrically opposite sides of its axis, guide means non-rotatablysupported in the valve casing and slidably engaging said ins to preventthe valve from rotating in the casing, and resilient means actingbetween the valve and a part iixed relative to the casing to urge thevalve in one direction.

3. In a wind musical instrument, a valve casing, a valve reciprocabletherein, said valve having a reduced stem extending from one end of thecasing, a bridge piece secured rigidly to the stern spaced from thevalve, a guide pin carried at its opposite ends by the bridge piece andthe valve eccentric to the stem guide means non-rotatably supported bythe casing and slidably engaging said pin and the valve stem to preventcasual rotation of the valve, and resilient means acting between a partfixed relative to the valve and a part xed relative to the casing urgingthe valve in one direction.

4. In a wind musical instrument, a valve casing, a valve reciprocabletherein, said valve having a reduced stern extending from one end of thecasing, a bridge piece secured rigidly to the stem spaced from thevalve, a guide pin carried at its opposite ends by the bridge piece andthe valve eccentric to the stem, a guide plate slidably surrounding thestem and having an opening therein through which the guide pin slidablypasses, means to prevent rotation of said guide plate, and resilientmeans acting between a part xed relative to the valve and a part fixedrelative to the casing urging the valve in one direction.

5. In a wind musical instrument, a valve casing, a valve reciprocabletherein, said valve having a reduced stem extending from one end of thecasing, a bridge piece secured rigidly to the stem spaced from thevalve, a guide pin carried at its opposite ends by the bridge piece andthe valve eccentric to the stem, a guide plate slidably surrounding thestem and having a substantially radial slot in its periphery slidably toreceive the guide pin, interengaging means on the casing and guide plateto prevent relative rotation therebetween, and resilient means actingbetween a part fixed relative to the valve and a. part xed relative tothe casing to urge the valve in one direction.

. In a wind musical instrument. a valve casing, a valve reciprocabletherein. said valve having a reduced stem extending from one end of thecasing, a bridge piece secured rigidly to the spaced from the valve, apair of guide pins carried at their opposite ends by the valve and thebridge piece at diametrically opposite sides of the stem, guide plateslidably surrounding the stein and having substantially :adial slots inits periphery slidably to receive the guide pins, interengaging means onthe casing guide plate to prevent relative rotation therebetween, andresilient means engaging the guide plate and acting on the valve to urgeit in one direction.

7. In a wind musical instrument. a valve casing, a valve reciprocabletherein. said valve having a reduced stern extending from one end of thecasing, a bridge piece secured rigidly to the stem spaced from thevalve, a pair of guide pins carried at their opposite ends by the vol feand the bridge piece at diametricallv creo the stem, a guide plateslidably si. ding the stem and having substantially radial slats in itsperiphery slidably to receive the guide pins. interengaging means on thecasing and guide plate to prevent relative rotation therebetween, and acoil spring surrounding the stem acting between the guide plate and thebridge A ,iece to urge the valve in one direction, said springfricticnally engaging the stem to prevent vibration of the spring.

8. In a. wind instrument, a valve construction comprising a cylindricalvalve casing having ports in its sides, a cylindrical valve reciprocablein the casing to control the ports. a reduced stem at one end of thevalve proiecting out of the casing by which the valve may bereciprocated. interengaging means carried by the valve and the casing toprevent relative rotation between. and a coil spring acting between apart xed relative to the valve and a part fixed relative to the casingto urge the valve in a direction toward the stem, coil springsurrounding the stem and lying the annular space between the stem andthe Caine, and having the sides of its coils frictionally engaging oneof them to dampen longitudinal vibrations of the spring upon actuationof the valve.

HARRY G. RUNYON.

